Fixed-Term Employment (FTE)

Statement 1 is correct: Fixed-term employment and ease of layoff. The amendment introduces the concept of "fixed-term employment" for the first place. While it doesn't automatically make layoffs easier, it allows companies to hire for specific projects or periods without them becoming permanent employees. This can potentially make restructuring or downsizing during economic downturns easier for companies with fixed-term employees compared to permanent ones (who have greater job security). Statement 2 is correct: Notice period for temporary workmen.
The amendment clarifies that no notice period is required to terminate the employment of a "temporary workman," which is someone hired for a specific, non-continuous job or for a short period.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: The Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (ILO No. 122) is one of the International Labour Organization's governance (priority) conventions. India ratified it on November 17, 1998. Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (ILO No. 105) is a fundamental ILO convention. India ratified it on May 18, 2000. Statement 3 is Correct: The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (1990) is a UN multilateral treaty. India has neither signed nor ratified this convention. Statement 4 is Incorrect: The Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949) (also known as the Fourth Geneva Convention) was ratified by India on November 9, 1950, and implemented domestically via the Geneva Conventions Act, 1960. *(Note: The question setter likely confused this with the 1951 Refugee Convention, which was adopted in Geneva and which India has not ratified).* Statement 5 is Correct: The Convention on Reduction of Statelessness (1961) has not been signed or ratified by India. India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, the 1954 Convention on Statelessness, or this 1961 Convention. *Conclusion:* Factually, only conventions 3 and 5 have not been ratified by India. However, among the given options, there is a discrepancy as no option perfectly matches "3 and 5". Since any correct answer must include the unratified conventions 3 and 5, Option D is the only possible choice by elimination.

The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act 2017 has made several significant changes to benefit women employees - Paid maternity leave has been increased to 26 weeks from 12 weeks. - For women expecting after having 2 children, the leave duration remains at 12 weeks. - Establishments employing 50 or more employees must provide a crche facility, and women employees should be allowed to visit the facility 4 times during the day.

All three indicators (1, 2, and 3) are used by IFPRI (International Food Policy Research Institute) to compute the Global Hunger Index Report. The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger at global, regional, and national levels. It's a peer-reviewed annual report, now jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. Purpose: To assess hunger severity and track progress towards ending hunger. Each country's GHI score is calculated based on a formula that combines four indicators that together capture the multidimensional nature of hunger - Undernourishment - The share of the population whose caloric intake is insufficient; - Child Stunting - The share of children under the age of five who have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition; - Child Wasting - The share of children under the age of five who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition; and - Child Mortality - The share of children who die before their fifth birthday, reflecting in part the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments. Hence, option C is the correct answer.

Statement 1 is incorrect. After the 1991 economic liberalization, worker productivity increased both in urban and rural areas. While urban areas experienced higher growth, rural areas also saw improvements, especially with the rise in non-farm activities. Statement 2 is incorrect. The percentage share of rural areas in the workforce has steadily decreased since liberalization. This is because more people have moved to urban areas for employment in the industrial and service sectors, contributing to the growing urban workforce. Statement 3 is correct. In rural areas, the growth of the non-farm economy increased significantly. With liberalization, the diversification of rural economies into sectors like manufacturing, construction, and services grew, reducing the dependency on agriculture. Statement 4 is correct. The growth rate in rural employment decreased after 1991. While the rural economy diversified, the agricultural sector did not provide enough employment opportunities to absorb all the labor, leading to lower growth in rural employment. Hence, option B is the correct answer.